Enemy torpedo neutralizer



Nov. 1, 1955 H. H. HOKE, JR 2,722,192

ENEMY TORPEDO NEUTRALIZER Filed Jan. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i 25 J8 J1 19? unn- 194 ya I INVENTOfi ATTORNEY NOV. 1, 1955 H, K JR 2,722,192

ENEMY TORPEDO NEUTRALIZER Filed Jan. 14, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 g 475' INVENTOR.

ATTU RN EY United States Patent ENEMY TORPEDO NEUTRALIZER Harry H. Hoke, Jr., Washington, D. C. Application January 14, 1952, Serial No. 266,428 Claims. (Cl. 114-440) The object of the invention is to provide a safety device for vessels so that, in the possibility of an attack through the instrumentality of a torpedo, the latter may be trapped until the energy of its propelling motor is expended and then allowed to drop back into the sea to sink; to provide in a construction of this kind a form of arresting or impact member to engage the torpedo at points outside of the area of the detonating pin, in order that explosion of the torpedo may be prevented; to provide a means for neutralizing torpedoes which, if it does not divert the torpedo against the impact member, will divert it underneath the equipped vessel, so that it will be rendered harmless so far as such equipped vessel is concerned; to provide a torpedo neutralizer embodying a diverting member or platform which is equipped with means for varying the friction component of a torpedo riding on the platform; and generally to provide a protective apparatus of the kind mentioned which is of simple form and susceptible of cheap manufacture and installation, considering the functions it is designed to perform.

With this object in view, the invention consists in a construction and combination of parts of which a preferred embodiment is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a sectional view through the side of the hull of a vessel equipped with the invention, the initial position of an entrapped torpedo being shown therein;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal elevational view of the structure of Figure 1 but showing the torpedo in the final position prior to discharge into the sea;

Figure 3 is a perspective view of part of the group of electromagnets employed to increase the pressure component of the friction of a torpedo entrapped by the invention; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view control of the electromagnets.

The essential elements of the invention are the impact or arresting member and the diverting members 11 and 12 of which the upper functions also as a platform and the latter merely is a diverting member. The members 11 and 12 are arranged at an inclination to the hori zontal and are connected at their outer edges, as indicated at 13, by welding or other acceptable means. Both the members 11 and 12, as well as the impact member 10, are connected with the hull 14 at the side of the latter, the impact member being above the water line, indicated at 15, and the major portion of the diverting member 11 and all of the member 12 being below the water line.

The two diverting members and the hull constitute the three sides of a cross-sectionally triangular housing in which may be disposed a plurality of tandem propellers 16 of the character of those shown in application, Serial No. 266,429, filed January 14, 1952. But though the housing be not used to enclose the propellers, such as those shown at 16, it can be used for buoyancy purposes or as a storage space for liquids or the like. However, the indicated use is the preferable.

of the wiring for the 2,722,192 Patented Nov. 1, 1955 The platform or diverting member 11, at the hullconnected edge is curved upwardly slightly, as indicated at 11A where it merges into the hull-connected edge of the impact member which is cross-sectionally arcuate, as clearly shown in Figure 1, and which is formed at the outer edge with hanger strips 17, welded or otherwise secured to the hull, the impact member at the hull-connected side being also welded to the hull.

Below the platform or diverting member 11, is a compartment, the purpose of which is to house the electromagnets 19, the latter being cross-sectionally W shaped in which the center leg 19A is double the thickness of the remainder of the core. Around the center leg is positioned the winding 20, so that the magnetic field created when it is energized appears, one pole at the top edge of the center leg and two opposite poles at the upper edges of the outside legs. The upper edges of the magnets together with the tiller plates 21 constitute the top face of the platform 11, the filler plates being inserted between adjacent legs and welded to the latter along the lateral edges of the plates, so as to constitute a continuous surface, a plurality of magnets being assembled, as clearly shown in Figure 3, with their side legs in lateral contact and welded together at the contact edges of their upper faces. The body portions of the magnet are not as long as the platform is wide but each magnet leg is formed with a horn 22 and the upper edges of the horns are in the same planes as the upper edges of the body portions of the legs and the filler plates extend between the horns and are welded to them at their upper edges. The diverting plate 12 is welded to the outer ends of the horns 22, so that windings of the magnets, by being thus enclosed, are protected from moisture. But the magnets do not extend up to the hull 14, their inner ends being spaced from the hull and the plate 23 co-extensive with the platform is welded to the inner ends of the legs and the filler plates and this plate constitutes the curved portion of the platform hereinbefore referred to.

The magnets are connected for series-parallel operation, that is, they are divided into two groups of which one consists of the first, third, fifth, seventh, ninth, et cetera and the other group, the second, fourth, sixth, eighth, et cetera. All of the magnets in one group are connected in parallel as clearly shown in Figure 4, the odd numbered group, say, being connected to the conductors 24 and the even numbered group, say, to the conductors 25. The conductors of the two groups are led to a triple-pole double-throw switch 26 to the outside hinge contacts 27 and 28 of which, the energizing conductors are connected, these running to an appropriate source of supply. The conductors 24 are connected one to the contact 29 and the other to the contact 30 of the switch and the conductors 25 connected one to the contact 31 and the other to the contact 32.

Certain contacts of the switch are cross-connected, the contact 32 being electrically connected with the contact 33 and the contact 31 electrically connected with the contact 34 and the contact 29 electrically connected with the contact 35.

On examination of this diagram, it will be noted that if the switch is in the upper position in which the blades engage the contacts 29, 31 and 32 the two groups of magnets will be thrown into series, current flowing from the source to the hinge contact 27, thence over the blade to the contact 29, thence over one of the conductors 24 and through the connected magnets and back over the other conductor 24 to the contact 30, thence over the switch blade to the contact 31, thence over one of the conductors 25 and through the group of magnets connected thereinto and then back over the other conductor 25 to the contact 32, thence over the switch blade to the contact 28, and over the return conductor to the source. The two groups will thus be in series and where they are wound to operate at the full potential of' the source, they will, with this series connection, be subjected only to halfthe potential of the source with the resultthat their magnetic effect will be reduced sub-- stantially fifty percent.

If the switch be now thrown to the lower position, current will then flow over the positive conductor to the contact 27, thence over the blade to the contact 35, thence. through-the magnets connected to'the conductor 24 and back to the contact 30, thence over the blade of the switch, to the contact 36 which is cross-connected to the hinge connection 28, and thence back to the source: Butat the same time current will be flowing, to the hinged contact 27 over the bladeto. the con.- tact.34, thence to the contact 31 and over the". conductors. and the connected magnets back tothe contact 32, thence to the contact 33 and over the switch blade to the contact 21 and back to the source.

It will thus be seen that all the magnets are then inparallel and the magnetic field throughout is working with-the windings at maximum voltage.

In the operation of the invention, when the equipped ship is: sailing where it may be attacked with a torpedo, it is-preferable to have the platform 11 energized, either at low potential, as with the switch in upper position, or. at high'potential withthe switch in the lower position. As a torpedo approaches the ship, if it be above theplane of the connected edges of the diverting members, it willproceed onto the platform 11, as indicated by the dotted line in Figure 1 which indicates the progress of the torpedo 37. When the nose of the torpedo hits the platform 11, it will tend to ascend the platform and whilethe magnetic field will then-be effective on it, the field is not so intense because at the lower edge' of the platform it is due to the magnetism in-the horns 22 of the magnets. As the torpedo ascends theplatform, it reaches the denser field and accordingly the: pressure factor of the friction is increased and this ten'd's' additionally to retard the movement. The denser the magnetic field, the more forcible'its pull. Where, however,-the lines of force extend into an extension of the polepiece'they are less dense than in the body of the pole piece. In other words, they are dispersed in the extension and their density is reduced in the pole piece adjacent the extension. Thus at the remote ends'of the horns 22 where there are the fewest number of'lines of force, the field is weakest and there is a gradual increase in itsstrength until a point in the axis of the magnetizing coil is reached. Then the strength remains substantially constant for the' remainder of the length of'the magnets. And this is true without variation of the windings or-the' amperes flowing. But if the torpedo be not entirely arrested by the magnetic field it can ascend to engage the impact member 19 when it is certainly brought to rest and, the ship proceeding the forward end is carried forward and the rear end of the torpedo tendsto swing around toward the hull so that it assumes the position eventually of lying longitudinally of the ship, as clearly indicated in Figure 2. But then it will be mostly on the plate 23 and will tend to roll laterally onto the more intense magnetized portion of the platform and will be rotatingly discharged into the sea where-it can do no harm, as the power of the propelling motor of the torpedo will then have been practically exhausted. While the ascension of the torpedo on the platform is retarded by the progressively increasing force. applied by the magnetic field, that is not'the' case where the torpedo has assumed a'position lonigtudinally of the-ship. In its ascension, it is axially disposed in.the direction of the length of'the magnets andtherefore is acted upon fully throughout its length by'the' magnetic-field. Where it is longitudinally of the' ship, however, it is disposed transverse to the magnets and can1easi-lyro1l' over th'elatter becausethe magnetic field 4. imposes no effective restraining force upon it, sincebeing circular, it will encompass no more lines of force in one position than in another. That is, it can readily roll out of the densest magnetic field into that which is less dense and finally into the water.

Assume, however, that the plane of movement of the torpedo is below the plane of the connected edges of the two platforms. Then it will engage the lower diverting member 12 which will tend to direct it underneath the ship, if the friction of the nose be not enough to force the torpedo downwardly. In any event, the angular positions of the platform and lower diverting plate preclude impact with the detonating pin of the torpedo, so that it is in effect neutralized. And, if it engage the impact member, it is likewise neutralized, as the spacing of the impact member above the curved portion of the platform leaves a clearance space for the reception of the detonating'pin so that there is no'possibility of its being actuated.

The invention having been described, what is claimed as new and useful is:

1. In a torpedo neutralizer, the combination of .the hull of a vessel, of animpact member substantially coextensive with the hull of the vessel, and an inclined platform also substantially co-extensive with the hull with one lateral edge connected to the hull and the other lateral edge below the waterline, and a controlled magnetic field below said platform to increase the pressure component of the friction of the torpedo engaging said platform, the hull-connected edge of the platform being spaced from the impact member to provide a clearance space for the detonating pin of the torpedo, the magnetic field being of uniformly increasing intensity from the submerged edge of the platform to a line-adjacent to the impact member.

2. In a torpedo neutralizer, the combination of the hull of a vessel, of. an impact member substantially co-' extensive. with the hull of the vessel, and an inclined platform also substantially co-extensive with the hull with one lateral edge connected to the hull and the other lateral edge below the water line, a controlled magnetic field below said platform to increase the pressure component of thefriction of the torpedo engaging said' platform, the hull-connected edge of the platform being spaced from the impact member to provide a clearance space for the detonating pin of the torpedo, the magnetic field being of uniformly increasing intensity from the submerged edge ofthe platform to a line adjacent to-the impact member, and means for varying the over-all intensity of s'aid magnetic field.

3. In a torpedo neutralizer, the combination with'the hull of a vessel of an impact member substantially'coextensive with the hull, a laterally projecting platform also substantially co-extensive with the hull and having one edge connected with the hull and the other edge well' below the water line, the'hull-connected edge being spaced below the impactmember to provide a clearance space for the detonating pin of a torpedo when the nose of the'l'atter engages the'impact member, the platform diverting'the torpedo toward the impact member, and a magnetic' field active substantiallyover the entire area of' the platform and of progressively increasing intensity from the submerged edge thereof to progressively increase the pressure component of the friction of the torpedo engaging said platform.

4. In a torpedo neutralizer, the combination with the hull ofa vessel of an impact member substantially coextensive with the hull, a laterally projecting platform.

also substantially coextensive with the hull and having one" edge" connected with the hull and the other. edge well'below the waterline, the hull-connected edge being. spaced below the impact member to provide a clearance space forthe detonating pin of.a torpedo when the nose of the latter engages the impact member, the platformv diverting the torpedo toward the impact'member, anda magnetic field active substantially over the entire area of the platform and of progressively increasing intensity from the submerged edge thereof to progressively increase the pressure component of the friction of the torpedo engaging said platform, the magnetic field being provided with a series of electromagnets positioned below said platform with both their north and south poles exposed at the superficial surface thereof.

5. In a torpedo neutralizer, the combination with the hull of a vessel, of an impact member substantially coextensive with the hull, a laterally projecting platform also substantially co-extensive with the hull and having one edge connected with the hull and the other edge well below the water line, the hull connected edge being spaced below the impact member to provide a clearance space for the detonating pin of a torpedo when the nose of the latter engages the impact member, the platform diverting the torpedo toward the impact member, and a magnetic field active substantially over the entire area of the platform to increase the pressure component of the friction of the torpedo engaging said platform, the magnetic field being provided with a series of electromagnets positioned below said platform with both their north and south poles exposed at the superficial surface 6 thereof, the body portions of the magnets being confined to the laterally intermediate portions of the platform and having horns extending to the outermost edge thereof, so that the magnetic field produced is of varying intensity from the outermost edge of the platform to a line adjacent the impact member.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 808,942 Neumaier Jan. 2, 1906 848,024 Gathmann Mar. 26, 1907 1,035,573 Gathmann Aug. 13, 1912 1,076,214 Leonard Oct. 21, 1913 1,243,143 De Corte Oct. 16, 1917 1,305,700 Diners June 9, 1919 1,342,064 Petrusavage June 1, 1920 1,392,140 Gernsback Sept. 27, 1921 1,421,846 Scholfield July 4, 1922 1,744,768 Humphreys Jan. 28, 1930 2,415,376 Strickland, Jr. Feb. 4, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS 2,018 Great Britain Feb. 10, 1888 194,982 Germany Feb. 7, 1908 

